Princeton Montessori School
487 Cherry Valley Road | Princeton, New Jersey 08540
609-924-4594 | Email Us
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Faculty | Specials
Meet the Specials teachers
When not teaching, Erin spends time with her husband and two children. She also enjoys practicing yoga and mindfulness activities, as well as playing tennis. Erin calls herself “an artist at heart” and loves to play with paper, paints, and collage materials of all sorts.
Erin has been a yoga teacher in the Princeton area for over nine years. She has taught a wide range of workshops from retreats for private clients, to chair yoga for caregivers of Parkinson’s patients, as well as workshops for Montessori teachers, and currently teaches adaptive yoga to private clients.
Erin holds a BA in Design from Hampshire College in Amherst, MA and a yoga teacher certification from Kripalu in Lenox, MA.
Eliza has had a love affair with the outdoors all her life. She firmly believes that children grow into devoted environmentalists when their connection to the natural world is realized through exploration, play, and a sense of wonder. Her happiest moments are creating memorable outdoor experiences with children.
Not only is she a professional horticulturist, but she also holds a Yoga Teacher Certification from Kripalu, a certificate to teach Tai Chi from Dr. Lam, and a Third Degree Black Belt in the Korean style of Tang Soo Do.
When not at school, Eliza enjoys building projects with her husband, adding onto their house, maintaining their aquaponic system, and the ongoing task of converting the yard into a sustainable permaculture.
Eliza received a BA in Anthropology and Architecture from Hampshire College in Amherst, MA and her American Montessori Society Elementary credential through the Princeton Center for Teacher Education (PCTE), NJ.
Toyoko enjoys working with a variety of age groups because it is wonderful to see how they learn and progress with their musical education. She finds it greatly rewarding to see a whole new world open up to children when they experience and learn through their music.
When at home, she enjoys cooking and trying new kinds of food, practicing yoga, and hiking in the Berkshires. She also enjoys performing chamber music, and attending concerts.
Toyoko holds a MA from the New England Conservatory of Music, MA, and a BA from the Sakuyo College of Music, Japan. She is also trained in the Kodály method of music instruction.
She has 30 years of international experience as a Suzuki violin instructor, and was the Assistant Director of the Suzuki Institute of Boston. She has performed with the Fukuoka City Philharmonic, the New Symphony Orchestra, and the New Philharmonic Orchestra, Boston.
As a seasoned early childhood and elementary teacher with an AMS certification, Barbara brings a depth of understanding of the Montessori philosophy to her work as an art teacher. She had led classes that include mixed-media, age-appropriate technical skills in drawing, painting, and sculpting.
Barbara is an accomplished artist. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her family, exercise, eat good food, and paint. She is an oil painter and pastel artist who exhibits in and around her community.
Barbara is AMS certified in Early Childhood, holds a Masters of Education in Early childhood and Elementary Education from Hunter College, and a Bachelors of Art from the School of Visual Arts.
Sue Ellen has enjoyed working with children for more than 30 years in the classroom and is currently a private piano instructor. She is motivated by her students’ energy and eagerness to learn.
Outside of school, Sue Ellen enjoys performing with her band, writing music, cooking and photography. She has a blended family of four children, her youngest beginning his college career.
Sue Ellen received a BA in Music Education from Susquehanna University. She has taken Graduate Level courses from Westminster Choir College in Piano Pedagogy, and has studied advanced classical technique with Stanley Yerlow (Fordham University), as well as Jazz theory and improvisation with David Kenney and Vince DiMura (Princeton University).
Alex loves sharing his passion for music and music making with children of all ages. His unique approach to music education combines singing, movement, percussion and songwriting in a stimulating and fun way that leaves students energized and inspired.
In addition to teaching music at Princeton Montessori School, Alex is an Emmy® Award winning children’s performer with six albums of original music and his very own TV show, “Alex & The Kaleidoscope.”
Alex received a BA in Jazz Performance from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA, and has received multiple awards for excellence in children’s entertainment including the New York Emmy® Awards, The Parents’ Choice Foundation, The Film Advisory Board and the American Library Association.
He is an instructor for the Princeton Teacher Education (PCTE).
Nuria greatly enjoys teaching Spanish language and culture. Her goal is to have students participate actively in class, and to help them lose their fear of speaking a second language. She strives to develop a love of discovering another culture and mastering an additional language through experiential activities, real life connections with students from Spanish-speaking countries, and song and games.
When not teaching, Nuria enjoys spending time with her husband, exercising outdoors, and traveling.
Nuria received a BS in Sociology from the University of Barcelona, Spain, and studied Montessori Philosophy and Child Development through the Princeton Center for Teacher Education (PCTE), NJ.
Lisa enjoys the energy and spirit the students bring to the art room, as well as their passion for creativity. An avid writer, Lisa strives to help the students to find their own creative outlet as they begin to discover the influence of art on culture. Her love of travel and world cultures is an asset in helping the students understand their own place in the world.
In her spare time, Lisa loves to cook, garden, kayak, make things, and go hiking with her husband.
Lisa has previous experience teaching at the Toddler, Primary, Elementary, and Middle School levels. She holds a BA/BS in Elementary Education and English from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) and is currently working towards completing her Elementary credential at Princeton Center for Teacher Education (PCTE), NJ.
Norah finds fulfillment and joy in working with children. She feels it is so meaningful for children to be exposed to music at a young age and to be able to explore and create with music so they can develop basic music competence. It also gives them a voice as they are finding their own and it is a wonderful tool that supports all other learning. Music allows them to have a deep, sensory experience that supports their holistic development.
Norah is a singer and a mom of three boys. Music has always been a passion of hers and she grew up playing piano and violin and sings with Princeton Pro Musica in their masterworks chorus and chamber chorus. Norah loves traveling and going for walks with her family and she also enjoys taking tap dancing classes.
Norah received a BA in History from the University of Richmond and a MAT from Georgetown University for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. She is a certified Music Together instructor and she has taught English as a Second Language in the public schools.
Ann enjoys working with children and has extensive experience in children’s and young adult literature as well as curriculum based collection development. She is eager to share her curious nature and enthusiasm for literature with the children and staff.
Ann is a retired librarian with many years of experience at the Princeton Library and other schools in California. She holds a BA from Syracuse University and a Master of Library Science from Simmons College, Boston, MA.
